PERSONAL INJURY BLOG

Drowning victims may not be helped by prolonged rescue efforts, especially when their hearts have stopped, and their body temperatures have dropped.

Those results come from a new study conducted by Dutch researchers, who noted that drowning is the primary cause of death involving children across the group. According to the researchers, a child with drowning often suffers a substantial drop in body temperature, or a condition called hypothermia. The current guidelines hold that if efforts do not manage to increase circulation within a period of 30 minutes, the rescuers must continue to administer resuscitation until the person’s body temperature reaches a level of 89.6° to 93.2°F.

In the study, the researchers analyzed data involving 160 children who had been drowning victims. They found that only 44% of the children were alive one year after the incident. In 61% of the cases, the children received resuscitation for more than 30 minutes. These children were found to be much more likely to have suffered brain damage as a result of the drowning, compared to those who were not subject to such prolonged resuscitation.

Overall, out of the children who were subjected to such prolonged resuscitation efforts, 87 died as a result of drowning, and 11 persons survived with permanent brain damage. Out of those children who were not given prolonged resuscitation, just 11 survived, with positive future outcomes. According to the researchers, this proves that there is no value or benefit in administrating resuscitation efforts for more than 30 minutes for children who have suffered a drowning incident that resulted in a cardiac arrest and hypothermia.

If your loved one has suffered injuries in a swimming pool accident, speak to a premises liability lawyer in Los Angeles. You may be eligible to file a claim based on negligence.

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